IPL 2020: Rating all teams based on the performance of their Indian players

It took almost 49 matches in IPL 2020 to see the first qualifying team for playoffs. The competition in the cash rich league makes this league one of the most exciting tournaments around the globe. And the 13th edition has only exceeded the expectations with its thrilling and dramatic contests.

Like every year, this edition has also seen several cricketing talents flourish in the biggest T20 carnival. While some of them have been the expected names, there have also been some new faces who have hogged the limelight. And as usual, most of them are Indian players.

From that, it can be deduced that a team might have four quality overseas options, but it is their Indian core that decides their fate in the league.

Here is the Team-wise rating of Indian players in IPL 2020

8) Chennai Super Kings – 6/10

With the playoff’ hopes shattered now, the Chennai Super Kings should play their remaining fixtures with a sense of freedom. Though it hasn’t been an ideal season for them, they should look to end it on a high, at least for the sake of their fans. On the other hand, they should also experiment with their playing combinations to chart the course for the next season. And they really need to build a new Indian core, which has been their biggest let down in IPL 2020.

In the past 12 years, CSK has always done well when its Indian contingent has played its part efficiently. For instance, in their 2018 championship run, three of their Indian batsmen scored over 400 runs in the season, and this time none of them have crossed that mark. The only saving grace is the emergence of Ruturaj Gaikwad.  Similarly, their bowling attack has faced a similar fate as apart from Deepak Chahar nobody has stood up for the team.

Even their famed spin department has been below par. The likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Piyush Chawla, and Karn Sharma haven’t provided any sort of control in the middle-overs. Besides, three of them combined together have taken 16 wickets, which is quite poor considering their amount of experience in the league. In the end, it is fair to say that Chennai’s Indian stars are missing the spark and not the youngsters in the side.

7) Sunrisers Hyderabad – 6.5/10

The Sunrisers Hyderabad have kept their playoffs hopes alive with a resounding win against Delhi Capitals. And now they will be looking to build on their momentum for their next couple of do-or-die clashes. Still, it has to be said it has been a strange season for the former champions as they haven’t been consistent at all. They have suffered losses after each of their last three wins, and it is one of the reasons why they have been in the bottom half of the points table for most of the season.

Notably, once again, their middle-order problems have been exposed. They haven’t been unable to plug that hole for some time now. And it is because their Indian batsmen have failed to live up to their expectations. The youngsters like Priyam Garg and Abhishek Sharma haven’t made much contributions that the team would have liked. Besides the experienced stars, Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar found their rhythm only in the second half of the season.

In the bowling department also the team has been heavily dependent on their spin wizard, Rashid Khan. Although the Indian fast-bowlers have stepped up in the absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, they have not picked up enough wickets. In other words, the team has struggled to win whenever their overseas stars have not performed. And that’s an area which they need to work on as they have some good Indian talents in their camp.

6) Kolkata Knight Riders – 7.5/10

For the Kolkata Knight Riders, the IPL 2020 hasn’t been the most pleasant one. Even though they are still in the playoffs race, the team hasn’t played the best of cricket. Most importantly, the team hasn’t clicked as a unit which has been their biggest problem throughout the season. And at times, their baffling tactics have only added to their woes. But fortunately, the team has produced enough individual brilliance to keep their fans invested.

Interestingly, none of their overseas or Indian players have lit up the league, which is odd considering the number of match-winners in their line-up. In particular, the team management will be a tad disappointed with their Indian bunch except Shubman Gill and Varun Chakravarthy. Starting with a couple of their senior Indian players like Dinesh Karthik and Kuldeep Yadav, who are going through a torrid time in the UAE. Their poor form has clearly affected the team.

Their other major concern has been the inconsistency of their uncapped players. Though the likes of Shivam Mavi, Prasidh Krishna, and Rahul Tripathi have shown their capabilities they have not taken the responsibilities of the team regularly. Its best example is their top-order collapse in the last three games, where the batsmen played recklessly in the name of intent. So now the franchise will be hoping that their Indian stars get their act together as soon as possible.

5) Rajasthan Royals – 7.5/10

A monumental effort by one of the greatest match-winners of the modern-day game saved the day for Rajasthan Royals in their must-win tie against Mumbai Indians. Still, they will need more of those as they are in a coup with four teams vying for the fourth playoffs spot. In this season, the Royals have played some exciting cricket, but they have been far too inconsistent for their liking. And it is because of the team’s constant chopping and changing of the playing XI.

With that being said, Steve Smith cannot be blamed for the frequent team changes as both their batting and bowling departments have been vulnerable on different occasions. They haven’t complimented each other in most of the outings. But the good news is that a few Indian players like Sanju Samson, Rahul Tewatia, and Shreyas Gopal have put their hands up for the team. There are also a couple of teenagers in the form of Kartik Tyagi and Riyan Parag, who have shown enough promise with their talent.

However, it is their senior Indian players who have failed to repay the faith shown by the franchise. Robin Uthappa, Jaydev Unadkat, and Ankit Rajpoot have been below-par with their contributions. Not only they have been poor with their skills, but they have also let down the team in precarious situations. Hence it will not wrong to say that the Rajasthan has got a mixed-bag performance from their Indian contingent.

4) Delhi Capitals – 8/10

After their third consecutive loss, the Delhi Capitals should look to regroup. It’s not their playing combinations or strategies, it is the mood in their camp that seems to have taken a hit in the second half of the season. And they need to turn it around quickly as it is the business end of the tournament. The Shreyas Iyer-led side has all the ingredients to become a champion side, but they should learn to hold their nerves when things are not going their way.

Till now, they have gelled as a unit, which has normally been a problem for the franchise. Mainly, their success formula has been the might of the overseas pace bowling and the explosive Indian batting unit. Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer are the two prominent figures of the latter category. Both of them combined have scored over 850 runs. And they have been ably supported by Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant.

In the bowling unit also, the Indian stars have done well for them. Ravi Ashwin and Axar Patel have been their reliable options in the spin department. The rise of Tushar Deshpande has also been a positive sign for them. But they have been unable to match the intensity of their overseas bowling counterparts. They have struggled whenever Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje have an off-day. So that’s an issue Delhi will have to resolve in the coming games.

3) Royal Challengers Bangalore – 8.5/10

The Royal Challengers will be keeping their fingers crossed after their back-to-back losses. In the past, they have been in similar situations and have lost the plot miserably. Luckily this RCB side is not a pushover, and they have played some good all-round cricket throughout the season. And this time, their fortunes lie in their own hands as they just need to win one of their remaining two fixtures to book their place in the playoffs.

Unlike the past few years, this season their stars Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers have found trusted allies. One of them is the 20-year-old sensation, Devdutt Padikkal, who has put a fitting end to the team’s long-standing opening woes. He has already scored over 350 runs and looks hungry for more. Apart from him, the likes of Shivam Dube and Gurkeerat Mann have also provided the required stability to the batting order.

That’s just the start, as the resurgence of their bowling attack has been the real reason behind their good run in IPL 2020. Especially, their Indian fast-bowlers Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj have matured with each passing game. Even Yuzvendra Chahal has got good support from Washington Sundar in the spin department. From that, it seems the RCB has finally solved their bowling puzzles. In all, they have shaped up an Indian core which has served them well and will also hold them in good stead for the next season.

2) Kings XI Punjab – 9/10

It has been an inspirational comeback from the Kings XI Punjab. From losing half a dozen games in the first half of the season to winning five games in a row, they have proved that nothing is impossible in this unpredictable league. And now they are sitting pretty comfortably at the 4th position in the points table. In simple terms, they are on a roll, and unless any major setback, they will surely make the cut to the next stage.

Leading from the front is their skipper, KL Rahul, who has been the alpha of the side. And fortunately, he has also got the company of several other Indian players. In batting, it is his childhood friend Mayank Agarwal who has been in the form of his life. He has been the rock of their top-order along with Rahul. Even the uncapped batsmen like Mandeep Singh and Deepak Hooda have chipped in with useful contributions.

Then when it comes bowling, it is Mohammed Shami who has been the guiding light of the side. He has led Punjab’s inexperienced bowling attack from the front. Along with him, the team’s fast-bowling duties have been shared by another uncapped gem, Arshdeep Singh. And then who can forget their spin twins, Murugan Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi. The leg-spin duo has taken crucial wickets whenever the captain has thrown the ball to them. So without a doubt, one can say that Punjab’s Indian troupe has been their biggest strength.

1) Mumbai Indians – 9.5/10

The defending champions Mumbai Indians is the only team not to lose two consecutive games in IPL 2020. That record explains so many things. And the most important one is that it will take something special to dethrone them in this season. The team has a formidable playing XI with game-changers from top to bottom. Such has been their supremacy that even without the services of a star player like Rohit Sharma, they are winning games, the true hallmark of a champion side.

Talking about their batting can give nightmares to any bowling attack. In particular, they have some of India’s best-uncapped batting exponents in the form of Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan. Both of them have put on a show in IPL 2020. Then they have Saurabh Tiwary, who has been brilliant in his limited opportunities. Add to that couple of finest all-rounders of the country, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya. Once again, they have stood up for the team in some trying circumstances.

As far as their bowling is concerned, it has been headed by India’s spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. With 20 scalps, the pacer is the second leading wicket-taker of the tournament. The spin department has also been quite good in the hands of Rahul Chahar and Krunal. The former has accounted for 14 wickets in this season. Even a fielding substitute like Anukul Roy has made his presence felt with his brilliance on the field. In all, it is the strong performances from their Indian bunch, which has been one of the reasons for Mumbai’s domination in this season.